Sarpanch assault row: SAD to protest outside Patiala police headquarters on Dec 20

Alleging police of carrying out a biased inquiry into the clash that ensued between the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Congress workers on November 15, the SAD leaders

Alleging police of carrying out a biased inquiry into the clash that ensued between the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Congress workers on November 15, the SAD leaders and workers are going to protest outside the district police headquarters on December 20.

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SAD leaders are alleging that the police are falsely implicating SAD workers in the case.

Party general secretary Prem Singh Chandumajra said that earlier, the protest was scheduled for December 19, but due to non-availability of party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, the protest has been postponed for a day.

“We have been demanding a high-level probe into the matter right from the beginning. The local police are conducting a biased inquiry. We have already given an ultimatum to the senior police officials, but they have failed to ensure proper investigation into the matter,” Chandumajra said.

He added that they have submitted evidence, including closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) footages of the incident that took place outside the Kheri Gandia police station. “Congress workers can be seen beating our party members in the footage,” he said.

On November 15, around 20 people had entered Kheri Gandian police station and attacked Takhtumajra Congress sarpanch Harsanget Singh, 40, before assaulting him again at a private hospital in Rajpura. At present, he is undergoing treatment.

The issue had further escalated after wife of one of the accused, Ameer Singh, died on Friday. The SAD leaders are alleging that Ameer’s wife died due to stress. They claimed that she was issued life threat by Congress workers after her husband got arrested.

On December 9, a fact-finding panel of SAD had visited Takhtumajra village and met families of the accused. Led by SAD MLA Bikram Singh Majithia, a three-member panel, including SAD spokesperson Daljeet Singh Cheema and Sanaur MLA Harinderpal Singh Chandumajra, had briefed Patiala senior superintendent of police (SSP) Mandeep Singh Sidhu about the data collected.

Meanwhile, Ghanaur Congress MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur had also courted controversy after a video of him suggesting that the police should arrest family members, especially women, of the accused started making rounds on the social media. The Punjab State Women Commission took suo motu of the MLA’s statement and has sought a written explanation.